Remy Dou

Beyond Performance Metrics: Examining a Decrease in Students' Physics Self-Efficacy through a Social Networks Lens.

Using social network analysis to understand drops in student self-efficacy in introductory physics.

Students' network integration as a predictor of persistence in introductory physics courses

Justyna P. Zwolak,1, 2, ∗ Remy Dou,2, 3 Eric A. Williams,4 and Eric Brewe5, 6, 1, 2, 4 STEM Transformation Institute, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33199 Department of Teaching and Learning, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33199 Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, 20742 Department of Physics, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33199 Department of Physics, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104 School of Education, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (Dated: March 10, 2017)

Understanding the development of interest and self-efficacy in active-learning undergraduate physics courses

ABSTRACT Modeling Instruction (MI), an active-learning introductory physics curriculum, has been shown to improve student academic success. Peer-to-peer interactions play a salient role in the MI classroom. Their impact on student interest and self-efficacy – preeminent constructs of various career theories – has not been thoroughly explored. Our examination of three undergraduate MI courses (N = 221) revealed a decrease in students’ physics self-efficacy, physics interest, and general science interest. We found a positive link from physics interest to self-efficacy, and a negative relationship between science interest and self-efficacy. We tested structural equation models confirming that student interactions make positive contributions to self-efficacy. This study frames students’ classroom interactions within broader career theory frameworks and suggests nuanced considerations regarding interest and self-efficacy constructs in the context of undergraduate active-learning science courses.

Unseen Life of Earth: An Introduction to Microbiology

Unseen Life of Earth: An Introduction to Microbiology (DVD; 1999; 12 videos, about 25 minutes each; Annenberg Learner; https://www.learner.org/resources/series121.html) Unseen Life on Earth: An Introduction to Microbiology is a 12-part video series developed in 1999 by Oregon Public Broadcasting in association with Baker & Simon Associates and the American Society for Microbiology (ASM). The video series was based on a book by Needham, Hoagland, McPherson, and Dodson called Intimate Strangers: Unseen Life on Earth , which was published by the ASM Press in 2000. The video series is still available through Annenberg Learner (https://www.learner.org/resources/series121.html), and Distance Learning Licenses can be obtained for its use in credit or noncredit online or face-to-face courses. Although the series …

Review: Brilliant Darkness: Hotaru in the Night

Brilliant Darkness: Hotaru in the Night . (DVD; 2015; 21 minutes; Zoological Lighting Institute, www.brilliantdarknessmovie.com/the-film) In Japanese, the word “hotaru” means firefly. These insects have long been part of the Japanese culture, often appearing in myths and artwork. They are revered because they represent the warmth of love, and their nocturnal lightshows suggest otherworldly existence. However, the fireflies of Japan, and around the globe, are disappearing. The Zoological Lighting Institute has produced a video called “Brilliant Darkness: Hotaru in the Night,” that delves into the plight of the firefly. Research has pinpointed human-generated light pollution as a primary cause of the decrease in firefly populations. Most fireflies need darkness in order to flash (there are a few species that are active during …

Classroom Materials & Media Reviews

tures in DNA (K–16 Educational Resources; Dr. Dorothy Semenow; http://www.dnaahead. com) From the mind of Dorothy Semenow – Caltech’s very first female graduate student and all-around mind sleuth – comes DNA Ahead & More, a game that takes players on a journey through the world of genetics and biotechnology. The art and the quality of materials alone speak to the labor of love that went into its development. Yet, more than art, this game represents a wealth of knowledge that any K–16 life science, science club, or continuing education instructor would want to tap into. If you can play Monopoly then you can play DNA Ahead. In short, players (or teams of players) move along the large board with the short-term goal of claiming spaces. Spaces claimed contribute votes to the player (or team). In the end, the player with the most votes wins the game. Of course, game play goes a little further than that, with opportunities to multiply votes or block opponents from obtaining votes. In fact, the rules of the game, while not complicated, can take some time to explain and feel a little overwhelming at first. Nevertheless, a “Quick Start” guide will get most groups going right away. Incredibly, while the game is fun to play, its real strength comes from the DNA and biotechnology content found on the game board and game pieces. Players will not only have access to in-depth-yet-accessible science, but they will also learn about the “who” behind the science, with a special (and authentic) focus on traditionally underrepresented groups in these fields. Children and adults will discover more than just facts; they will discover potential careers and professions. Here is where the fun in DNA Ahead truly lies: in what teachers can do with the game pieces outside of game play. The game cards offer a world of possibilities for development of student activities and/or assignments. “Show-and-Tell cards” direct students in the representation of content through artistic and creative avenues. Other game cards, including “WOW” and “iii” cards, can be used as fountains of topics that students can dive into by creating presentations around them. Even the artwork itself is a learning tool; students can engage with the content right from the outset as they try to figure out the pictures’meanings before reading the text. As Dorothy puts it, “The game aims to encourage, urge, spur, guide, and support users to do something, hopefully a creative thing, with what they learn from the materials.” Indeed, with some teacher prompting, this is absolutely achievable. It is worth noting that the level of disassociation between subject-area content and game play may surprise some users. Essentially, one could play the game without having to understand or even read the DNA and biotechnology content. The game was purposefully designed that way to give users of all academic backgrounds exposure to materials that may otherwise intimidate them. Students’ level of engagement with the content will require active teacher involvement. The game box includes a guide to help educators take full advantage of the resources inside. As a teacher, I could envision myself using DNA Ahead Game & More as part of a unit lesson on DNA or biotechnology. Rather than sitting my students down for an hour of game play, I would set the game board and pieces on a table and give students opportunities to roll the die and interact with the game several times a week. I would then use the content they gain access to as springboards to activities that enrich the classroom curriculum. At the end of the unit, the class would tally votes and shower the winners with bragging rights. There is definitely more than one way to use this resource, and that, too, is part of the fun. Remy Dou ABT Department Editor Florida International University redou@fiu.edu